War. He had gotten a taste. As he wandered the many fields of the dead with only Suzaku to provide comfort in his naïve optimism and Nunnally to remain blissfully unaware of the cruelties that surrounded her, seeing the place he had called home for nearly a year being stripped away by the family who had long abandoned him there, it seemed almost fitting that he would stand here on a precipice, prepared to dive headlong into battle against his sister. An action that would have irreversible consequences for the rest of his life.
As of right now, he had taken control of every squad leader and ordered them to hold he line against invading forces. As Lelouch finished his rounds, he returned to the peak contemplating his actions. 'With the JLF acting as bait, Cornelia will be lured in. And once the Knights of Ronin swoop in to save the Kyoto and JLF groups, word will spread of Zero, the masked saviour of the weak. With Kyoto being kept out of the loop, they will be unprepared to face Cornelia and their forces depleted. With that, we will be the only remaining resistance faction remaining. And that is only step one'.
CC appeared, casually reclined on a bed of grass, twirling some blades between her fingers. 'How does she keep doing that?'
"CC, why are you here?"
"You do realise that by taking up arms against Britannia, not even you could survive this battle."
"I wasn't aware you felt such concern for me." he teased.
"Well of course, I can't let my slave be killed." she mused, not taking her eyes from the grass, plucking them roughly and dragging up roots with them.
"You keep using that phrase, I don't think it means what you think it means, not once have you commanded or dominated me."
She turned finally and gazed piercingly into his eyes, he almost recoiled at her stare. "Did you know, slavery has more than one meaning. There are those who are owned by man...and those who are dominated by fear. I wonder which one are you?"
He didn't answer and didn't look away, but for a moment his mask cracked and his mind screamed in fury. "Today, I am neither." and although he didn't say it, she heard it in his mind, 'Yesterday, I was both.'
Kyoto was a distant memory from his youth,yes, it was the past, and Fuji was a serene place for him to contemplate all that Kirigaya and Todoh had taught him. Now, here he would repay their help and in doing assure a future for himself that could never be touched by Britannia. This was the eye of the storm, he need only to step into the maelstrom and endure its wrath. Behind him stood the assembled Knights of Ronin in all their glory. Clad in black armour of their samurai ancestors and armed with some of the finest European weaponry available, he turned to address them at Ohgi's beckoning. As he did, he paused at the sight of a cherry blossom in the midst of dying away. Winter was soon upon them and the flurry of petals brought with them a scent that reminded him of only days ago. A more peaceful aroma.
Four Days Ago
"Mein fuhrer, I bring mein contact before you." They were again seated in Zero's private quarters in the old Kabooki theatre. While Zero was drinking an innocuously red liquid from a small brass cup, Katrina was showing in her guest. Dietard Reid was a tall, broad shouldered man who carried himself with a sense of purpose. Everything about him was neat and manicured, from his long blond hair being strung up in a short black ribbon to his freshly pressed three-piece suit. Beneath his arm was a briefcase that he dared not unveil unless in the optimum company.
Before him was Zero, once again clad in his casual wear instead of his extravagant purple suit. His office space was immaculately kept, his shelves laced with books, before him was a detailed study made by Earl Asplund and Rackshata Chawla about the chemical and physical properties of carbonite. To his right sat a woman clad in a red and gold kimono that was covered in wide leather straps. Lazily reclined on a couch in the corner of the room, she cast only a cursory glance at Dietard, then disregarded him completely. 'I should have realised simply by associating with Lady Haw Haw Zero would surround himself with an unusual entourage'.
Behind him, Kallen and Tamaki were giving him unfiltered glares of contempt for the presence of a Britannian before their leader. Tamaki wandered off, grumbling lightly to himself, enough for Dietard to hear, while Kallen closed the door after him and stood guard with Kitana and pistol in hand, unwilling to simply give Dietard the benefit of the doubt.
"Mr Reed, your reputation precedes you. I am familiar with your work for the Britannian Military. You will forgive me if I'm a little cautious about your intent to join my organisation. Lady Katrina word holds only so much weight." Katrina for her part looked a little downtrodden, like a scolded five-year-old. "So, I must ask you, why join us if you know our location and have ties to the government."
"Well my recent demotion notwithstanding, due to my coverage of your broadcasts, I come to you unarmed and with information unknown to many in the upper echelons of the resistance movement." At that, he pulled out documents from the briefcase and handed them over freely. Written in great detail was an upcoming assault plan on the Fuji district where was reported the alleged centre of rebel movement and intelligence.
'Kyoto Houses, led by Kirihara and the remaining feudal leaders from Shogun Kururugi's reign. With combined resources they have allocated to the JLF, they sought to overcome Britannia with subterfuge and guerrilla warfare. But they lack one key element that the Ronin possess.' The wheels in Zero's mind began to turn, compounding on his recent reading material, he was sure he could make this information work to his advantage.
"And in exchange, what do hope to gain from this trade?"
"Only the assurance that you can trust me and that I possess certain advantages not many have access to."
"Your resources are indeed impressive. But why directly get involved when you could act through Lady Katrina as proxy?"
"Because…I know you are only starting and that my skills are wasted in helping a fledging system of monarchs and bureaucrats. It will only be a matter of time until everyone see's past the censorship I have used my whole life in cultivating the indominable Britannia image. This, I can see now, is the next step."
"Dietard. With your abilities, we shall crush Britannia and raise up from the carnage a new order of civilisation." Katrina broke out into a mad applause at his hiring, whistling loudly and cheering. The man in question bowed in reverence to his new employer and marched out with a head held high. A manic grin never leaving his face. Katrina followed soon after, yapping on about new techniques and propaganda they could use.
Kallen watched the two media moguls walk away with suspicion, but reluctantly accepted Zero's decision. "If it is all the same to you Zero, I wish to keep an eye on those two. It's still too early to begin multicultural expansion."
"Always maintain constant vigilance, but do not antagonise them. You keep an eye on Lady Haw Haw, I'll handle Dietard. I would suggest the surest way of ensuring their loyalty is making sure they belong."
She was unsure what he meant by that at first, but came to conclusion she must befriend Katrina. Though she found her loud and obnoxious, it wasn't exactly specific, she'd worked with Tamaki so far without strangling him…much, 'I guess this is just another step forward, like CC said', "Understood Zero, I guess making friends isn't out of the question."
"Good, now assemble Ohgi and Urabe, we need to discuss next weeks…excursion." She nodded her head and left.
"She's become a lot more insubordinate in addressing me since the drugs operation assaults began." Lelouch pondered aloud. It escaped him why he was so easy with her addressing him impersonally while he was her commander.
"I guess she feels like you have a personal impact on her life, ever since you salvaged her mother from a desperate situation. Maybe she's falling in love with you boy." She giggled to herself at the posture of consternation and confusion Zero had adopted. 'He can really look ridiculous in the mask sometimes.'
"No, no, it's as you said, hero worship, but not the extent that Dietard had, he reveres me as some kind of deity, Kallen rightly so as an icon." CC rolled her eyes at his ignorance of her aloofness and pushed about something that bothered her.
"Speaking of Dietard, I'm connected to your mind in many ways, but even I knew that you knew about Cornelia's attack. Why give Dietard the time of day for outdated information?" Zero removed his helmet to address CC directly, but mostly to wipe away the sweat that accumulated after only a few minutes. 'This helmet needs a damn filter' he considered while taking a sip of blood from the cup. Little dosages kept his strength day by day, but he grew increasingly uncomfortable with Nunnally worrying about him eating.
"Dietard only feels fulfilled when he proves his worth and asserts his superiority. Regardless, we could use his skills, skills I don't have. But until now, I didn't when or how the attack would take place, only where and eventually when, not to mention the alleged numbers of the JLF present. Perhaps they could serve as a distraction. We will have enough time with their resources. What say you?"
"…You don't have certain skills, finally a burst in that ego of yours." CC replied cheekily.
"OK, see this, this is why I don't discuss battle plans with you." A knock was heard, and he rushed his helmet back on just as the trio entered. Kallen raised an eyebrow at Zero's movements, 'I guess CC really does know his identity.', she speculated sourly.
"Captain Urabe, General Secretary Ohgi, we will move in on Cornelia on this date, we will defend the JLF remnants and Kyoto houses."
"Zero", Ohgi said plaintively, "is this a battle you think we are ready fight?"
"You've been fighting this battle for years Ohgi. Until I arrived, you were losing horribly."
He was taken aback by such an off-kilter remark, before realising it was a joke and let out a small smile. Urabe, for his part offered a hearty, "Guffaw, sorry, sorry Ohgi, ahem, Zero, do you think you will be able to fend off Cornelia with what limited resources we have. Even with Chawla's arrival and our recent acquisition of those pirates, how can you be sure that we will be Kyoto's good graces, especially after killing a member of their group."
"We will be in their good graces, especially because we killed a member of their group." That seemed to placate Urabe, who laughed good naturedly.
An hour later, Kallen was making her way to the covertly docked.
Morning of Battle, Mount Fuji
As Lelouch finished his rounds, he returned to the dwelling camp of the Ronin Knights. they stood there contemplating their actions, unsure if they will follow through.
"Seriously, the JLF are striking out on their own, but we came all this way to save their sorry asses." It was confusing to the many assembled Ronin, by all rights, Urabe had chosen them to fight alongside the JLF, it perplexed Ohgi.
"Urabe, tell me honestly, in the months you've been apart from the JLF, do you believe Katase to be a man who rejects assistance on moral principle and honour?" Zero questioned him, Urabe himself was frustrated beyond all belief. Zero recalled meeting the Samurai many years ago, and knew him to be pompous and a traditionalist. It was no doubt the years had only fortified this belief.
"To be honest, every one of those men would most likely underestimate their enemy and overestimate their ability. He is too much bound by the old ways."
But Ohgi decided to have his input, "Zero, I understand the necessity to defeat Britannia here and now, but to do so at the cost of Mount Fuji. It's always been a place of peace, sacred to the Japanese."
"It has done nothing to alleviate your suffering. Katase will bring about his destruction by clinging to the past. We will save him by rejecting it. Know this, kawaguchi was not merely spectacle. We have abandoned the past that limited you reason and stunted your growth. But by mergin our past and our future, we create something new entirely, which is why the Guren will show Fuji the future."
Kallen held her reservations until this point. 'It will save our lives, but do I have the right to do this, even the responsibility to do this. Just throw this swith, and I would destroy both Britannia and Fuji.'
Zero approached Kallen and spoke quietly to her, "Your decision to destroy Fuji or escape is a choice only you can make. I will not tell you the right decision, but I do know, only you can make this choice. You embody within youself both a Britannian and Japanese side. But, if you should so wish, I will take up this responsibility."
"In order for me to ever move forward Zero, I must be willing to let go of my past. No, I will do this, I will destroy both my Britannian and Japanese heritage. But...where does that leave me, when I have forsaken my being, who will I become?"
"That, Q-1, is entirely your choice."
Britannian mobile base
Inside the mobile base, the staff officers were aghast to see Euphemia standing among them. While Cornelia had gone to rally the troops and lead them personally, Euphy had popped out of her hiding spot, the Lancel and was escorted to the bridge by Suzaku. "Princess Euphemia, this is no place for you to be. If Viceroy Cornelia finds out about this, she will-"
"But she will not find out will she. And that is Sub-Viceroy to you Commander Alfred." He backed down and addressed Suzaku irritably.
"Did you know about Euphemia coming with you?"
"Erm, no my lord, she hid in the Lancel from the previous night. I should have checked, but…Lloyd won't let me near the Lancel unit unless he permits it."
"Well, there is no communicating with Cornelia unless we want to alert Kyoto and the JLF we are here. They will be listening in. And besides, the perimeter is set, we cannot allow any entry or exit of soldiers nor spare a paladin from this operation." He sighed in resignation and permitted her to stay. She clapped to herself and smiled, and sent a gracious smile to Suzaku, who of course found her and followed her lead for her to take credit.
Cornelia POV
"If we route the enemy, we can box them in these ridges, no doubt they will try to use them as trenches. However, these trenches do serve forward and backwards defence, so we will need to catch them by ambush."
"Artillary Ma'am?"
"No, refrain from military bombardment, this is a co-ordinated attack to eliminate all hostile elements. We must retain the mine system and carbonite resources. Projections if done so?"
"Ultimately: 43% of carbonite resources in Japan are located here, production would fall by 62% with job losses and lacking in immediate resources."
"Then I suppose we must refrain from total obliteration. And if any remnants of the Kyoto Houses should be found, we may begin prosecution. That should keep the parliament off our backs for a little while."
Zero proclaimed, "Cornelia will try to surround us, that is why she will be drawn in. She has a greater number, but she will stretch them too far if we whittle away at them. knowing her, she will be at the forefront and will consider our flanking manoeuvre and guerrilla attacks, that is why the Yamato's will be stationed at the front lines, she will be baited, and we can launch our initial attack."
Cornelia proclaimed, "The front will most likely be a decoy for us to be trapped in by the JLF, which is why we shall initiate the spiral formation, using the mining trenches as a concealment for our foot men, armed escort by rippers will flank both sides and systematically eliminate enemies at the 0-110 latitude. From there, all troops will ascend via the trench system while ripper units will escalate via grappling lines to latitude 510. Troops will clean up any remaining foot combatants that remain." Recounting the plan to remind everyone of their assigned tasks they were all so eager to do.
"Of course, she will try to bypass their infantry with the paladins, that is why we lure them all up, quick and efficiently, cavalry and reinforcements will hand back until the Guren is initiated and detonates the charges. With all her troops too spread apart and too far from their own base of operations. The detonation will be a distraction and leave the enemy disorientated, open to surprise attacks. Cornelia will be separated from her subordinates and therefore easy pickings."
Guilford looked to his watch. "It's time your highness."
"Very good, COMMENCE OPERATION"
From the trains and base came forth an onslaught of paladins and foot soldiers armed to the teeth. At a distance it was estimated that roughly five hundred troops were being used in this assault. They began to surround the base with most concentrating on the foot of the mountain near the command centre.
As they climbed, hidden soldiers attempted to ambush the army, but were quickly dispersed. Artillery rounds pounded into side of the mountain and tore apart the JLF hidden beneath the foliage. Up and up they went until the artillery was silenced. Their range only going so far with the use of explosive rounds.
But the onslaught continued and swarmed up and around the mountain. A division split off and headed straight for the peak.
All through the JLF, radio was coming in about retreating to the headquarters and making a last stand there. But they went unheard. Multiple JLF commanders were issuing commands given to them b y Zero to hold the line and draw them in. They were mowed down by jeering Britannian's. Groups had hidden in pits and were afraid to emerge. When discovered, they raised their hands and threw their guns down in surrender. They were shown no quarter and slaughtered in their hovels. As the Britannians began to chant, "Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame:
All their attempts to bend thee down,
Will but arouse thy generous flame;
But work their woe, and thy renown
Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the waves,
Britannia will never, never be enslaved."
It frustrated the Ronins to no end that they were unable to intervene. To see loyal soldiers being gunned down to defend their leaders and freedoms. But Lelouch knew, he knew their blood would boil and their minds would focus on one thing, killing these men. Up and up they went, three hundred soldiers and paladins marching and rumbling on.
At the lead was Cornelia
Cornelia POV
It was too easy, rolling over these enemies was childsplay. They had no discipline, only misguided fantasy. Nothing more than animals. "This isn't war, this is sport." She reached their dismount point. She launched the harpoons to the upper slopes and swung into the air. What measily paladins assembled were torn apart under here gleeful wrath. The new Paladin constructed by Lloyd was a work of art. Not even in the Ottomen empire was she this nimble.
The technology had been proven by Kururugi in his Lancel, now the twin ligament attachments allowed for swifter movement and more agile dodging. A large cannon round was shot up at her and she unveiled her full monstrosity. The purple beheamoth had the same rounded canister and dome headed capsule as standard issue paladins, but now had two appendages on either side wielding a repeat loading canon for the right and a left handed harpoon gun that doubled as grappling hook and trident spear. The legs were large sturdy things that braced the weight of the tank and were finished with catapillar tracks built into the feet. As she landed, the legs bonded and formed a steel wall of defense. She launched her harpoon at the JLF gunner and tore him in half.
"Simple fools, know your place." Ust like she had with Saitama, just like with the Turks and the rebels at Nara and Hiroshima, she would tear them apart and then, she would tear off the mask of Zero when she faced him once again and place his head on a pike atop the settlement.
Zero POV
"This is bull, we should be helpng the JLF, not sticking around up here!" exclaimed Tamaki.
They lay in wait for the advancing enemy, as their paladins trundled on through the foliage, dispersing the leaves from beneath their treadmills. Onward and onwards, the paladins opened fire on the upper cliff face. Hollow-points, scattering debris and rubble everywhere, slowly breaking down the natural barrier of the JLF headquarters. Urabe sat in his ripper, next Zero who was guarded by his closest knight. She would show her valour, piloting a ripper unlike any other. Zero moved his frame forward and aimed towards the sky, but nothing happened.
They waited.
And waited.
Zero counted down the seconds; every foot-soldier that Cornelia brought with her today would march at a steady pace exactly two minutes behind. As the Rippers, they would reinforce the infantry paladins, then Cornelia would bring up the rear in her own Paladin with her cavalry or royal guards. From the moment the bombardment was heard, the seconds counted down from one hundred and twenty.
3…
2…
1…
Zero. "FIRE!", a plume of smoke exploded from the main canon and exploded in the air in a puff of red smoke. The cloudy overcast was fortunate, his signal would be seen by all troops. Kallen saw the signal and loaded up her main weapon. The right claw of ripper opened like lotus petals. The arm aimed towards the excavation point 30 meters away. And she braced her finger on the trigger.
"Long live…Japan" she squeezed and from the palm of her weapon shot forth a burst of dark red flame. It struck the channel and poured the liquid flame into the belly of the cavern. A moment passed, and nothing happened. She peered around to see Zero and whether he showed any signs of approval.
Then the ground began to quake, the mud shifted, and leaves were shaking from their branches. Then…
Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom
Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom
Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom
Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom
Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom
Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom
Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom
Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom
Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom
KaboomKaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom Kaboom
Fuji was lit like a funeral pyre. From all over the mountain, large blazes of exploding carbonite were exploding into life with such intense heat that many trees shrivelled where was now fire and scared off a flock of birds from every tree, the sheer number clouding the sky with their shadow.
'All according to plan. Geologically placed pits of carbonite located around the mountain of Fuji went untapped, never realising they were each interconnected by small ravines and trenches for excavation purposes. The Britannians had cannibalised the mountain by their pursuit of energy and riches, now they would burn in it. Sure enough, by the time the initial explosion had passed, the result was clear. Three rings of fire dissected the mountain and segregated the soldiers. If his calculations were correct…
Cornelia Paladin
All around her was carnage. A ring of fire had sprung up and consumed both friend and foe. Men ran from their paladins ablaze and rolled around in the mud. Soon the stench of burning flesh permeated the air. It made her gag. These were her men and they died inhumanely like their enemy in a cowards attack. Each one had been specially chosen, without ties to Kyoto and by far the most patriotic collective she could lead. In an instant they were ashes.
JLF in their rippers were consumed along with much of front line infantry. 200 infantry, 50 paladins, all possibly consumed in the fire. It made her blood boil. "Guilford, what's our estimated losses?"
"Your highness, estimated loss of Carius unit and lost sight of Darlton unit. Best guess puts us at roughly one hundred remaining infantry and fifteen paladins including ourselves."
"Make way for our ground troops and we shall make a tactical retreat to the mountain base. If we are not careful, this mountain could erupt."
"But Viceroy, the JLF?"
"They are at just as much of a loss as we are if we stay. We will smoke them out and await their inevitable arrival. Their own hubris for detonating those bridges to the south and east, their only escape is through us." She hung up her radio and silently cursed to herself. 'This was exactly what I was hoping to avoid by not bombarding the mountain. But this is no tactic of the JLF, far too crafty. No, this was the work of one man.'
Britannian Mobile Quarters
The officers were running around like chickens with their heads cut off, scrambling to regain some sense of normalcy in the command centre. Euphemia stood shock still at the sight before her. It was a raging inferno that had consumed all the men and women sent into apprehend the Kyoto house and the JLF. To her left was Alfred Dalton, supervising commander of the mobile home base. He too was wide-eyed at the disaster growing before him, but he had little time to panic.
"Officers on deck: ATTENTION!", Alfred bellowed over the hullabaloo to attract their attention. They halted and stood to, awaiting his input. "Officers, we face an enemy unlike any before, with tactics that undermine the conventions of warfare, cowards who strike in the back. We are gentlemen of Britannia, do not fall to these rebels." They still seemed at unease, so Euphemia stood up.
"Oficers, do not lose yourself to fear. I stand by you today and I too feel your fear. Like you, I will use my fear…to push forward and save the innocent." They seemed much more at ease, if still fearful of the incoming fire. "Commander, move out of the fire and contact Cornelia-Viceroy Cornelia." They moved to position and began shifting the massive structure. It creaked and groaned under the added weight. Alfred looked to Euphy with admiration and bowed in respect. She went to his side and spoke; "Alfred…erm, Colonel, we must protect the city."
"Your Highness, the first order of Business is securing our troops, and ensuring that we have enough reserves to protect the headquarters and the encirclement, as such radio cntact has been lost. I'm sorry your highness, but for now, Viceroy Cornelia is on her own."
'Just like Lelouch and Nunnally.' What could she do? She was only the Sub-Viceroy.
Summit of Mt. Fuji
The KoR looked down upon what they had wrought in awe and terror, the once peaceful symbol of Fuji set ablaze by their own hands. Within them a feeling of guilt attempted to overcome their conscience, but Zero stood tall upon his frame and proclaimed loudly before them; "This here is the flames caused by the spark that is our revolution. Hold your courage to the sticking plates and rally your courage. For today you bath in fire and emerge true warriors of justice." Many looked to him with awe and majesty as the fire burned in the backdrop of his speech, some looked hesitant, but he roused them more with, "Britannia sought to enact their own justice by eliminating the JLF, soldiers who fought for their country, their rights and freedom. Well I say to you, we say no to you Britannia." More stared at him with reverence. Katrina had stretched a Cheshire grin across her sharpened teeth. Ohgi took deep breaths to keep his cool. Kallen shared her allies sense of awe. Within her a feeling of pride rose more fiercely than ever before. As he stood there before her, his cape blowing in the wind and flames licking the sky with a hellish red hue, he was more than the hero who saved them from death, more than the enigma who led them to victory…
"I say no to your ruthless subjugation, no to your self-perceived entitlement and no to your backwards ideology. Rise Knights of Ronin and strike true. Lend me your ears and I shall bury Britannia in ash."
"zero, zero, zero, zero, Zero, Zero, Zero, Zero, ZERO, ZERO, ZERO, ZERO, ZERO, ZERO!" his voice rose from the quiet chants of Tamaki in the back, being picked up by Sugiyama and Minami and finally being echoed like a choir by the assembled one hundred troops.
'Yes, before creation, there is destruction. With this first move, we march towards victory.'
The Ronin moved into formation, each one of them carrying a rifle or firearm of choice. Each of them wearing a fusion of their ancestral samurai armour and the Ronin uniform. They wore the samurai helmets without any need for decoration, simply painted black. Waist length leather coats were then covered with armoured leather plates and wrist gauntlets. The trousers were standard wear, with boots that came halfway up the shin tied tightly. Overall, the appearance of black and silver blurs moved through the base of operations. Inoue stayed with Katrina and a few reserves to set up camp and first aid, they would need it. They possessed over twenty rippers of standard fare since Rackshata's delivery. They would go to the most proven pilots and most important members. Everyone else carried bayonetted and lever action rifle. Tamaki decided to be different and carried a sawed-off double-barrel strapped to his waist. For protection he said.
Kallen was a different story. While she wore the armour and uniform, it was much lighter than the normal, including forgoing the helmet and plates, and was coloured more red and black. To Zero this only reflected her unpredictability, and her paladin. She was his ace in the hole this battle.
'With Cornelia's forces being drawn in by the bait that is the JLF headquarters, she has allowed herself to be open to ambush from behind and her flanks. I doubt Urabe could point fingers considering the distance to the main headquarters from where the fire is, however, I must keep alert for any treachery.' He started up his ripper and rolled ahead, his other rippers following his flanks and Kallen right behind him. "Kallen, keep to my flank in the case of any ambush, you will be assigned soon. Ronin, spread and make yourself invisible. Infantry, await your shots and move swiftly, we shall meet at point C and engage our major assault. Tamaki, you know what to do."
'Now is the time, now is my moment.'
Lower range of Fuji
The soldiers moved as one, each one of them carrying the Britannian automags. Behind them was fire, before them was fire, around them was fire. Cornelia and her vanguard were nowhere in sight, but they kept steady. To one of their right, a soldier spotted a fluttering of red in the distance. Accordingly, this was one of the rebels choice of clothing. He took aim and marched steadily forward, two more covering him. As he neared, he rang out a shot in the direction of the red and inspected it. His breath caught in his throat as he realised the bandana was tied around a tree. Meanwhile, four were closing in on one contact wearing some black armour that was hiding behind a tree. As the flanked it on both sides, they realised that the figure was stuffed with straw. Shot after shot rang out and these men were gunned down from all directions.
The Ronin rose from the foliage and retreated further uphill. As more reinforcements came, they only found the bodies of their fallen comrades. More shots rang out, but the smoke made it difficult to clarify, they dropped to their belies and the Britannian's retaliated with further gunfire. Grenades were thrown, and screams were heard. They closed in around them, groups of ten were divided from the remaining hundred and ten. They all circled around the bushes and prepared to gun them down. But again, gunfire was heard, and the soldiers were shot in their backs. They retaliated quickly, popping off shots and nailing five dead. They remained calm, but the Ronin were quick to retaliate and retreat, preferring to use guerrilla tactics to avoid loses.
Bringing up the rear was eight Paladins, the gleam of metal now tarnished by soot. A voice rang out over the din of roaring fire. "All troops will mount a three-fold linear front. To attention soldiers." They were roused by the return of their Princess and assembled. In lines of ten, three rows were formed down and tree rows across. They created a human barrier that formed into nine columns before the eight paladins. "All forces fall back in organised formation." Easier said than done as a new plume of fire rose up behind them and created a new barrier. This came from a new challenger unseen by any on the battle field before.
This paladin was red and black in colour, stood nearly ten meters tall. It looked like a pod that was balanced on four crab like legs that moved in tandem with one another. Connected to the pod was two arms, on one arm was a large gattling gun that was primed and spinning menacingly. The other arm housed a cruel looking claw of pure gleaming metal that spat out flame licking one of the appendages. The pod was long and slanted, with unseen ports granting visibility, and held two long ears that served as antennae. It glared menacingly at the opposition. It was soon accompanied by other paladins of lesser quality. Whomever this pilot was, was no ordinary soldier. And Cornelia felt herself smile.
"Guilford, Cluadio, Rufio, with me. The rest of you, contact Darlton and advance towards the summit. This fire will burn itself out soon. Protect the infantry and march for victory."
"YES, YOUR HIGHNESS!"
The Princess gave chase for the Ronin paladins, while the infantry and foot-soldiers marched forward uphill. The remaining paladins gave them covering fire.
Round the clock lambasting of her authority and government had irked her over the past four days, non-stop boasting about his military might and her political incompetence was the last straw, he would finally be silenced and the rest of his petty band would fall like dominoes. They were disorganised and woefully undermanned.
Lelouch POV
'Yes Cornelia, follow me. Leave your men to my machinations.' He thought to himself. It was all falling into place. But his numbers were off. The ground still had over a hundred troops and she still had roughly a dozen paladins. Not to mention the reinforcements awaiting at the base for the fire to clear. 'Looks like I will be playing this by ear.' And activated his radio and sped off to a more open visual clearing. "Kallen, Ohgi, Sugiyama and Minami, engage Cornelia from a distance and keep moving. Kallen, I leave in command of them. Urabe, be sure to await my signal and I'll keep an eye out for yours." All tasks were set, now he would get to work. "Ronin Knights, fall back and assemble into binary division, wait for Britannia to come to you." He saw what happened.
The Ronin were assembled into two blocks of twenty-five with a gap to create a false opening. The Brits marched forward, but were still not in range. They shifted formation and began to create an arrow formation, with paladins making the tip and the foot soldiers making the shaft marching in line behind a triangular formation of paladins. "Ronin, engage in venus formation. Go!"
The Ronin shifted until the two blocks separated fully, marching to the sides and flanking them, using the smoke and foliage to hide their movements. As the Britannian's finally came into range, the Ronin opened fire from both sides, assaulting the flanks before they knew it. The paladins marched on and so did the foot. The paladins opened space to allow soldiers in between and shield them. They turned their canons on the Ronin's position. "Ronin, disperse and regroup at origin point, the Brits are attempting to make a run for the full stretch." The canons fired and over a dozen were caught in the collective blast. They Ronin ran for cover, some were wounded.
They were still outnumbered two to one by a vastly more co-ordinated force. The main JLF forces were holed up inside by the explosions and resulting mudslides. It slowed down the advancing enemy, but not the Ronin who took the further trench route. "Tamaki, do you read me, do not launch the Hwacha. Move to point A. The Britannians didn't take the bait."
"Read you loud and clear mein fuhrer." Replied the excitable voice of the radio operator. She relayed the order and Tamaki responded.
"Ready to fire Zero."
"No, Don't", too late. Tamaki was given this task and would not let it pass him up. He took out the cigarette and prepared to light the fuse, when from around him a dozen Britannian's rushed into the camp with guns aimed. He pulled up his gun and fired pot shots at the men. The Ronin stationed jumped into action, diving behind sand bags and firing out from cover. Inoue ducked for cover and pulled out the revolver and knife she used to attack the slaver. She thought back to the little girl still sleeping at home, who may never know that she would die here. The Britannian's were taking out large portions of the camp as they took cover behind crates. Tamaki dived in next to her snatching up the radio from a cowering Katrina.
"Zero, we need some rippers up here."
"No use, we are being distracted by Cornelia, fall back if you can and make for the trench route to meet at point B with the reinforcements."
"Fallback, dammit, we can't." a large chunk of wood was blown from a crate and splintered over the two of them. He threw the radio aside and jumped up, shotgun in hand. "Hey Brits, eat lead you pricks." A ricochet caught him in the side of the helmet and knocked him out. The gun landed before Inoue and Katrina. The former stands up and opens fire on the Brits, she lands two hits and runs out. The remaining Ronins hide in the camp and get ready to make a break for it. More and more bullets and explosions happened around them, Katrina shuddered at the sound while Inoue tried her best to comfort her. Bang, Bang, Bang, the brits were closing in. They wouldn't make it to the rendezvous point.
That's when Katrina stood up and shouted, "ENOUGH WITH THE SHOOTING!", she held the shotgun in her hand and a lever action rifle in the other. She raised the gun and blew a hole in a mans head. The splatter caught his two friends by shock. She levelled it another two and blew out both the sides of their heads. She fired the lever action, cocked it in one hand, fired again, and repeated the action until she was empty. The Brits were taking cover and were about to ambush her, when she threw all caution to the wind and, wielding the gun like a battle axe, swung at the crouching enemy. She got one, two, three, splat, smash, squirt.
She threw the gun at another in his eye and swung at another with all the power in her fist. The blow smashed right into the soldier's head, caving it in. She swung at another, but by this point Inoue couldn't look. The sights were too horrific. She ducked along with the rest of the Ronin, shielding the injured from any further harm. When she looked up again, Katrina was finally finished. The dozen or so guards remaining were now reduced to slashed up ribbons. She was breathing heavily, bathed in blood and her hands snarled like some rabid animal, looking like they were sharpened. She looked lazily around her in confusion before collapsing in exhaustion. Inoue approached cautiously, 'Who is she…What is she!?'.
'Cornelia, we sent forth a skirmish force to take them from the rear. They have not yet responded.'
'It will keep whatever reinforcements they possess busy, engage in minor skirmish operations and eradiate both JLF and Ronin Knights. They will take us out in larger groups."
"Yes, your highness."
"Ohgi, take our forces and engage the enemy, they will have split into minor skirmish forces if Cornelia wishes to keep control of the landscape and prevent losses. Engage in flanking and behind attacks to maintain our numbers."
"Roger Zero, but…what if this isn't the case?"
"She is running out of options and running low on infantry. We need to hold out for Urabes reinforcements. Avoid being surrounded by moving in skirmishes and converging on opposition forces."
"Understood."
Then a sound, so distant, so indistinct, it was like a hum in the distance. The flanking soldiers halted their manuever, no sound that loud could be made by man, surely the fire was playing tricks on them. But it was no deception, no mistake, this was no call of the Britannian reinforcements, no ship carrying to them the firepower to wipe out these rebels. In an instant, the mighty Britannian forces no longer felt bravery in their heart, their savagery suddenly realised as they would fight not one enemy of rabble soldiers today, but an army.
Back with Euphemia, she spied over the distance of the sprawling hills, there came forth a horse sporting a flag of Japan. She produced a spy glass and inspected closer. He was grizzled and stoic, his face and body the epiome of calm collectiveness. He wore the full armour of the Edo samurai and above his head he wielded a shining kitana. It glinted in the fire light and seemed to burn with life. He swung it around his head and rode forward. From behind him was the pandemonium that was Japans hero, Todoh the Miracle maker.
A massive hoard of soldiers was heard through the roar of the fire. They wielded spears, bows and rifles, firing into the assembled battalions. Those out in the open seethed at an open attack from the rear and began forming ranks to assault the oncoming hoard. They spat and shouted over the charging forces and fired at them.
"Take that you eleven scum!"
"Burn in hell you uncultured bastards!"
"All rats will tremble before the might of Britannia." They laughed and taunted the oncoming horsemen, a dozen or so firing into ranks, but failing at such far range. The paladins fired on the horseback enemy and cheered in such an easy victory. Then they heard more trampling, more whinnying of horses. Out of the smoke they came in lines upon lines of armoured riflemen. The cheering had stopped and instead were replaced with chaos, the lines broke apart and attempted to scatter, trying to take shots at passing enemies. But much like sandpaper on a leg of wood, the lines were slowly whittled away. Swords swept through the Britannians, taking their heads from their bodies and bludgeoning them to paste. They assembled into quick skirmish bands and hid among the trees, but as more horsemen came pouring forward, the ones who had passed came swinging back. Todoh dismounted and strode to the soldiers, there was Carius, smirking at his enemy. He drew forth a sword and posed to strike, Todoh didn't move, only stood still among the swirling smoke and splashing mud. Impatient, Carius swung forward and attempted to thrust into him. But Todoh had ducked beneath the swing, charged by anger and adrenaline, he overswung and Todoh has sliced him across the abdomen. Carius fell to his knee's and coughed, "Bloody, fucking elevens." Todoh beheaded him with a loud cry of fury and was silent. "Such dishonour in a combatant. Your death has redeemed you." He turned and launched back into the fray with his soldiers beside him. The small squads had peeled away and were on the retreat down the hill around the oncoming charge. "If Zero is doing what I think he is, then Chiba and Asahina will certainly assist in that approach." Senba nodded solemnly beside him and launched into combat with rifle drawn.
So this is part one of the Fuji arc, part 2 will be out soon and will switch perspective to JLF, Zero and Kallen which was happening during this battle.